PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- President-elect Barack Obama continues to assemble his version of a team of rivals -- and today he received praise from a former opponent.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was among 41 governors meeting with Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden in Philadelphia, where the nation's economy was the topic of discussion.

Palin told reporters after the meeting that she was "optimistic" about Obama's bipartisan outreach. She also praised him for inviting governors into his Cabinet.

In his remarks to the governors, Biden singled out Palin for thanks and said his former rival's presence there is a sign that both parties are now confronting problems together.